Legendary American singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton died on Tuesday at the age of 80, bringing an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades to an end.
Here are 10 things to know about the beloved country music icon:
1. She was born into poverty
Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Tennessee. She was the fourth of 12 children raised by Robert and Avie Lee Parton.
2. She began performing as a child
Her musical talent emerged early. Parton was already performing on local television at 10 and recorded her first song when she was 13.
3. Porter Wagoner helped launch her career
Parton gained national attention in 1967 after joining The Porter Wagoner Show. The programme introduced her to a wider country music audience.
4. She wrote two classics on the same day
Parton famously revealed that she wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day. Whitney Houston’s 1992 version of the latter became a global phenomenon.
5. She sold more than 100 million records
Parton sold over 100 million records worldwide and won 11 Grammy Awards, establishing herself as one of the bestselling musicians in history.
6. She became a successful Hollywood actress
Beyond music, Parton starred in popular films such as 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
7. She had her own theme park
The singer became closely associated with Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park which opened under that name in 1986 and grew into a major tourist attraction.
8. She gave millions of books to children
Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to send free books to children from birth until age five. The programme later expanded beyond the United States. Imagination Library
9. She was inducted into two major halls of fame
Parton entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
10. She was married for nearly 60 years
Parton married Carl Dean in May 1966 after meeting him outside a Nashville laundromat. Their famously private marriage lasted until Dean’s death in March 2025.
Parton died three months after cancelling a Las Vegas performance amid health challenges. Her family did not disclose the immediate cause of her death.
